Choice between following your passion and following a classic job approach is difficult

As a somewhat recent college graduate, I had to have the conversation with myself, multiple times, on whether I want to pursue a hobby I have a passion for as a career or follow a more classical approach to getting an office job.

I figured now was the time to try out my passion, get educated in that specific skill and go for it. A friend of mine was also following her passion as a dancer in Chicago, and we both began to realize, as people asked us what we did, that we were not viewed the same as counterparts who took the classic job approach.

We were both well-educated women wanting to follow our passion – something we’d been told to do by other professionals – yet when it was our chance to take a risk in our careers, we were almost looked down upon for the chance we were taking.

Everyone knows the stories about some famous businessman who dropped out of college or decided to leave behind a promising career to follow their passion in hot sauce and now they own a Fortune 500 company sending hot sauce all over the world.

I was hoping to become that hot sauce connoisseur in my chosen passion. As I took classes, the weight of the “real world” began to crash in on me. The desire to follow my passion became a daily defending of my chosen career. It also became a financial impossibility. I have a back-breaking amount of student debt, along with the costs of an apartment, car and basic necessities.

Currently, I am working in a business job, using my college degree and receiving the benefits I need to live day to day. Am I dissatisfied in my choice to follow either my passion or follow the money? Not necessarily. I think the largest disappointment I experienced was the lack of support from society as a whole.

My friend and I would discuss, at length, how people didn’t view our passions as viable careers or saw it as a passing trend. People would also ask how we could make ends meet or what we planned to do after this “career hiccup” ended. Not only were we insulted, but also disheartened at the lack of support we were receiving.

We both understood that money doesn’t come out of thin air and we'd have to give up certain luxuries we were previously able to afford, but we also wanted to be happy with the job we were going to be doing for a chunk of our lives.

Happiness doesn’t even seem to be factored into our jobs anymore. When discussing careers with more experienced professionals, rarely will they mention how happy they are with their job. Many times I hear about the trials and tribulations of getting to where they are now and how this job is still all about politics in the business world and they should be getting paid more.

Ultimately, that’s why I wanted to follow my passion. I wanted to be happy with what I do and enjoy going to work every day. That’s not to say I won’t be extremely happy with my future career, but I wish I was able to feel more support from everyone, regardless of the career I chose.